Unbelievably, I actually got started on the garden clean up yesterday. Gorgeous day, 61 F., I even got a little sunburn on my face. I know, I know...don't forget the sunscreen! Well in my own defense I never gave it a thought because it's pretty rare to have this kind of weather in March, generally we're still buried in snow.

So anyway, I cut back the hollyhocks which I had left standing so they would hopefully go to seed. I cleaned out all the dead vegetables from the space that I planted them in last year. Put away all the tomato cages as well. I started to do some weed raking of the front, ahem, lawn. When I started to feel the pinching and pain in my back I quit for the day. It felt really good to get back out there though! Oh BTW, the lawn mower never did get fixed yesterday.

Today, zilch. We had a prolapsed cow that we had to deal with all day. I'll spare you the very sad and disgusting details. The rancher saved the calf though and for that we are thankful.

MeMo

Wow, what a GREAT IDEA! I'm new here :) But I love this forum so much already, I can tell that so many of you already "know" eachother and I love to read your old posts. I've only been around for a week and I think I've made it back to page 10 reading old posts.
Anyway, that's good to know about the covnerstaions v. discussions and I posted my first questions in the gallery section today.

My yard is a blank slate for me and I am totlaly in love with cottage style gardens so I hope to soak up as much info as possible from all of you :)

My Story: For the past 5 years, my DH and I (well we just got married last May) had been living in a rental home where I was allowed to do what I wanted with the gardens. I grew some tomoato plants and asiatic lilies, but other then that I mostly just planted annuals and things I started from seeds (from Kmart or HD mostly). Nothing special, nothing fancy.
Now that we are in our own place and I can basically start from scratch my mind is getitng blown away from all the different choices.
I started some seeds last weekend and hope to start another round (6 different kinds) on friday. I'm trying to layout in my mind at least where I want my beds to go and to research some different shrubs. I'm anxiously awaiting the opening of some local nurseries so I can determine what's readily available in my area and then I can Get my Hands Dirty!!
I tend to take a lot of gardening pictures, so I'll be posting them a lot, I Hope!

Sorry this got to be a bit long, guess I'm really excited to get started :)
~Andrea

cut and edged the grass
puttered
turned the compost
final trim of the wisteria
puttered
slug hunt and destroy
wandered the widelife garden up the back of garden
stared at the weeds

became chilly
went inside

Libby.........whose weather isn't cooperating

Hi MeMo,
Welcome Andrea!
Everything is so wet here that I'm reluctant to even set foot in the garden until it has a chance to dry out. I've been reduced to looking for emerging crocus with binoculars! No blossoms here yet, but I did have my first "bluebird sighting" today, which made my heart sing! Two pair!

Patti

This could be really helpful for me - I STILL have lots to learn about gardening. I'm never really sure when to trim, how much to fertilize, etc., etc.

Saturday I did a LOT of clean up. I've been sore ever since.

Dh vacuumed the oak leaves out of the beds and I trimmed and weeded. There are a lot of beds and it took two days and there is still more to do. We also got a new bed amended and tilled at the back of the main deck in back and dh did the same for an extension on the oldest bed out front today - lasagne with cardboard on the bottom. I wish he had had this inspiration last November but - hey - better late than never!

Hi all. I haven't been around for awhile. Our property is almost cleared and we hope to get started this spring-summer! I'm still in the rental house with my roses and plants in pots. I did start a garden club in our small community and had 16 people at the first meeting. It looks like the roses survived their winter in pots and I have perrenials popping out every day! Spring is bustin' out all over.

Hi Pat...........waves

Lovely to see you again. Glad your roses survived.

Libby

Great thread MeMO!

Welcome to the forum Andrea. You'll love it here, everyone is so helpful.

Today I managed a little time in the garden. Temps were in the low 70's, yahoo, so I moved the plants I've been wintering over in the garage outside (for good, I hope). Did a little weeding and transplanted a Mugo Pine to another bed. I've gotten brave and have started some seeds. This is the first time I've really done this in earnest. I'm trying daisies, zinnias, coleus, basil, cilantro, moss rose, cypress vine and sweet 100's(for DH). So far the seedlings are looking good. Hope I haven't started the seeds too early. We're not supposed to plant new things outside for another month. Don't laugh, but I've got the seed trays set up in my living room! Priorities, right?
Vikki
{{gwi:648535}}

My day started inside, potted up the sprouted tomato seeds, put some peas to soak overnight, confirmed my order of Campanula pyramidalis, C. latifolia and C. trachelium seeds had been received. Haven't grown these before so thought I would give them a try. Headed outside, checked and found the lettuce has sprouted. Inched my way through the greenhouse, the Fuchsias are starting to wake up, Epiphyllums are showing flower buds. Noticed a pot of a rose colored Corydalis was blooming so took it up to the poolroom. Yesterday I cleaned up the planter in the poolroom, cut all the ferns and Epimediums back, planted two hardy orchids and gave the planter a good soaking. The Jasmine and Passion Vine I planted last summer made it through the winter. I hosed off the deck in front of the koi pool so that's done, today I got the ladder out climbed up and hosed the fiberglas roof off. Came in with soaking wet jeans and before DH could say anything I said NO I didn't have an accident I went before I went out. Me thinks Spring officially arrives sometime later tonight :o).

Annette

Great idea, MeMo! We do tend to migrate towards the conversation side during the colder months. Sorry to hear of the cow having complications.

Welcome, Andrea! I hope we see you around regularly. I have learned so much from the ol' timers in this forum (not speaking of age, speaking of experience). Looking forward to seeing pictures.

LOL, Libby. I can relate. Hoping the weather warms soon in your neck of the woods.

Lindakimy, "I STILL have lots to learn about gardening". . Sounds to me like you know exactly what to do. Prepping beds is so important before planting. Your sure to have an awesome garden this year.

PatTea!!!! You've been missed!!!! That's fantastic you started a garden club. Please post pictures when you have a moment. Spring in Washington is breathtaking.

Wow, Vikki...just look at all those sprouts!

Annette, I would sell my mother for a greenhouse *lol*

My lawnmower broke down two weeks ago. I left it in the front yard hoping someone would steal it. So far so luck. I've been buying seeds every time I see them at the grocery store. Problem is, I don't know what to plant yet. I cleared the potager for spring planting. This weekend I'm going to buy Mason bees.

Edna

I debated whether to join in on this thread...as my gardening chores at this time of year are so different than most here. My garden is still under more than 5 feet of snow.

I can brag though. LOL!!!! There is a foot of bare dirt between the house and the walkway.......and this week I noticed the tulip greens starting to peek through. Whoohoo! :)

This week I sowed more seeds indoors. More seedlings came out of the propagators and were put under lights on the light stands. I transplaned many seedlings into pots and cell paks. The trays are switched out every 12 hours or so, so that all the plants can get some time under the lights. It won't belong before these trays will only be getting light every second day or so.....because of so many trays. Can't wait till its warm enough to move everything to the greenhouse.

The astibles and bleeding hearts that I potted up from roots are now starting to bloom. They will be finished my plant out time here, but should put on a nice show next year.

I potted up 3 dahlias and they are growing very well under the lights as well.

This weekend will start the planting of the blooming bag impatiens. 6 bags have been filled so far.....and more will be filled this weekend.

Welcome Andrea. And Welcome back Pat tea.

Sierra

Thanks, MeMo, for starting this thread. Nothing much to report here -- still waiting for spring, and still too early for starting most seeds. Soon.

Vikki - I hope you won't be offended by a suggestion, but it looks like quite a few of your little seedlings need a stronger light source. They are stretching out trying for light and I'm afraid they will end up being too leggy to be very good plants. If you are using a fluorescent light, try moving it right down almost on top of the seedlings. If you are using a south window, it may not be enough to do the job. Hope it was OK that I said something. I'd just hate to see you put time and energy into your plants, and have them not turn out.

ThinMan

Every day I came home from work and repaired all the things our new puppy wrecked while I was gone. Love the little rascal, but I wish she'd stop splashing all the water out of the koi pond. She's already eaten all the pond plants and I have nothing left but roots.

That little clematis that was just starting to peek out of the ground is chewed down to a nubbin. The hostas were all dug up yesterday too, but they should be OK.

The new sprouts that were hardening off on the front porch are goners, their little peat pellets chewed to smithereens. My consolation is that those ugly cushions on the porch chairs are now unstuffed, unrecognizable rags. Mwaahahahaha!

I'm really glad that I have this little puppy Spot, she's a doll, loving and affectionate. She was abused and abandoned when we found her beside the road. She's a godsend for our other dog Mollie, who was unbearably lonely after we lost our older dog last year. They are both happy now and they play all day. Apparently Mollie is a very indulgent parent who just stands by and watches as Spot wreaks her brand of terror on the yard and garden all day. And I have the advantage of being able to practice replanting, refilling, redoing everything in the garden over and over. I should be really good at this gardening stuff by the time Spot is out of puberty. Cheryl

Thin Man,
Thank you for the suggestions regarding my attempt at seed starting. I'm not offended at all ~ I need all the help I can get. I'm not using a grow light nor a south window. The seedlings are near a east facing window. I turn them everyday and they straighten back up but I never considered that they might get too "leggy". I think some are big enough to move to individual peat pots now. Should I do that? I don't have a grow light. Any suggestions about lighting once I get them in their own pots? I think we are finished with our really cold weather and I should be able to get these planted out side real soon. Or at least get them into individual pots and put those outside soon. Hope that will help and all my work won't be for naught. Thanks again for taking the time to educate me, I really, really do appreicate it.
Vikki

I'm still waging war on the weeds and sand burs today. I have my big vegetable bed (last years vegetable bed) all cleaned out and right now I'm working on tilling in the straw that was left on top all winter. Oh. my. goodness. The dirt is so soft and dark and rich. It's like running a knife through softened butter. If there are any of you out there that still think adding amendments is a waste of time or money, please think again. This bed was hard clay with sand mix. It was like digging into cement last year. We tilled in a 3-4 inch layer of aged cow manure, planted the vegetables and covered the soil with a couple inches of straw. I didn't do another thing to it until today. Wow! Wonderful soil now!

I'm going to plant all annuals in this bed this week, from seeds. I'm debating whether I should a) take all the seed and mix it together for a wild garden look or b) if I should plant in drifts. What do you think? This is what we will see when looking out the picture window in the living room.

MeMo

Most of my clean up is done. Too soon to plant here until mid-April due to frost. Then, it will be full-speed ahead with gardening. I guess I'll "let" DH mulch sometime...I just don't want him to mulch until I've spotted all the seedlings and survivors!

Cameron

Vikki - I might be wrong, but here's what I think. A lot of the little guys look so spindly that I think that when you move them to peat pots, they will just flop down and never recover. It can't hurt to try, though, and it sounds like you will have time to replant with more seeds if you need to and still get them in the ground in time for good weather down there.

The bottom line is, you really need a nice strong light source. Even a south facing window isn't enough light for me to get good seedlings in northern Michigan, but maybe it would be for you in VA. I'm afraid an east facing window just won't give a lot of the plants enough hours of sunlight to develop into nice stocky seedlings. I've had to go to fluorescent lights suspended a few inches over the plants to do the job for me.

I hope my rain on your parade hasn't ruined your day.

ThinMan

Vikki, Here are some things you can try. Little tender plants don't mind going outside when the weather is above freezing if you put them in the sunshine gradually, in a protected-from-the-cold-wind spot.

Every day, stroke those babies. Run your fingertips lightly over their little tops. Somehow it strenghtens them. Talking to them is optional.

When you transplant them to little pots, water them well first, then hold them by their leaves and not by their little stems, supporting the roots with a tool of some sort, like a popsicle stick.

Transplanting a tiny 'clump' of two or three or more might work better than a single baby. You can always snip off the weakest ones later with some tiny shears. If you can't bear that (I can't) they'll probably thrive in a tiny clump despite what we're told over and over. Mine do.

Before I had a hobby greenhouse, I trundled little seedlings out every sunny morning on a kitchen cart so they could get sunlight, back in at night.
Nell

Plant in drifts. Even in a wild garden, they come up in sections, according to whether the seeds fall straight down or scatter with the wind.

Diagonal lines work for me. From the front, they look like drifts. Planted in lines, you can spot what was planted; what is out of the line is weeds.

Nell

Thin Man & Nell,
Thank you so much for your advice. It's supposed to be 60 and sunny here tomorrow and 67 and sunny Sat. I'll be taking those babies outside for some real light. Our night time temps are not supposed to go below 47 for the next week. I'll be sure to put them in a location where they won't get burnt up by the sun and protected from the wind. Regarding transplanting into peet pots...some of the seedlings are in peet starter pots now and I was planning to cut each pot away from the pack and plant that directly into a larger peet pot. Yea/nay?? None of them have their second set of leaves yet and I read that they shouldn't be transplanted until they get the 2nd set? I'll do as Nell suggests and not thin out until I see which ones make it in the larger pots and/or the sun.

Funny thing is, I had left over seeds, some flowers and cilantro and parsley so I threw them in a couple of pots I had outside about 3 weeks ago when I planted the others inside. Those outside took much longer to sprout but they are doing really well...duh!!! Live and learn as they say. Like Kent said, I can always get more seed and start over (the right way).

Thanks again guys for sharing your wisdom.
Vikki

My cabbage seeds have sprouted...first sign of Spring! We have all our seeds under grow lights and sitting on a warmimg coil to keep their toes warm. Been doing this for years with the light very close to the trays and lift it as the seedlings take off. We'll harden them off outside after we repot DTR when it gets lots warmer.

YUK, right now we're gearing up for a clipper system which is supposed to drop up to 5 more inches late tomorrow. Ohio already is 11 inches over the norm for snow. This weather makes you do crazy things...like buy baby chicks.

Happy First Day of Spring everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!
georgeanne

Wow, I love hearing what everyone in all the zones is doing! I sort of focused on the lawn this week, I raked out pine straw from the grass and filled 3 garbage cans. I will seed soon.

I also moved some volunteers to better places. I have lots of verbena bonariasis (sp) seedlings and I intermixed them with artemisia, I thought that would look pretty.

Everyday I walk through and see whose buds got bigger, and what perennials are closer to bloom.

Unfortunately today I will be doing taxes, maybe I will be able to get out there this afternoon...

Harriet

Nothing. Been sick all week and working at the same time. Phew... The garden is turning nice with all the Spring growth. Did a bit of constructive staring Annette type and looked at the gigantic weeds. Maigold is blooming and so are the jasmine and the lilacs. Hopefully I will be able to post some photos that I took last week on the gallery side.

Eduarda

I always wait until a bit later to clean off the flower beds; like to protect those newly emerging flowers from hard freezes. That makes for a few hectic and tiring days when the weather warms.

I have several things started under the plant lights. Just potted up the Apricot Foxgloves yesterday. I also have a flat of daylilies I started from seeds (saved from my plants) last fall. They are a really nice size now and I have begun hardening them off.

Just sprouted: Rainmaster petunias, broccoli, feverfew Virgo,three kinds of peppers, and onions. Also have a small pot of rudbeckia that needs to be potted up.

I won't start the tomatoes until about 6 weeks from our frost free date so they won't get too leggy.

vickki, I used to use a fluorescent shop light set on bricks in the floor for my flats of seedlings. I would raise or lower it with the bricks as needed. It is a pretty cheap way to get some extra light for the plants.

My yard and garden are still very wet from all the rains we have been having. I had just planted lettuce and it may be washed away. The west yard is still squishy to walk on.

I have a few clumps of daffs blooming and more to come. The lawn (as I laughingly call it....grass in not my long suit)
is very spotty looking. Probably have lost lots of grass over winter.

MeMo, sorry about the prolapsed cow...been there/done that.
We are in the midst of calving season and have lost one heifer and calf, but things are going well now.

I am really looking forward to this gardening year. We cut down all the over-grown yews next to the foundation and I am working on plans to replant.

Hi,
Mixed weather here in central NY. On the warmer days the ground was very wet. I did
1. Pick up sticks and branches (more left to do)
2. Hang a NEW suet holder for feeding birds.
3. Check on all my winter sowen containers.
4. Transplant some "under the lights sprouts" to larger containers.
5. Took home a large rock (bigger than a 5lb bag of flower) that was put on the curb for garbage day.
6. Spent lots of time on GW to get ideas for this year's garden.

kim

Haven't posted here in a long time. But been flooding in some areas of Iowa. Near record amount of snow this year about 60 inches.Lot colder today. But raked for short while. Had to dress in layers. But got lot of didviding. Went to many flower swaps. Few in Morse Iowa-got very nice plants. So i call my beds Jungles.

A few days in the 40's with sun felt as good as July around here. I pulled back the dead foliage from last years perennials. The goldfinches loved hanging out in the rudbeckia all winter picking at the left over seeds. I finally got the "cover" on most of my WS perennial flats.

Koszta kid- I was in Cedar Rapids/Anamosa two weeks ago. Even I could see that the flooding would be terrible this year. I hope you and your loved ones are not too affected by the floods that have started.

Squirrel Girl

Vikki,

When I transplant my seedlings, I plant them deeper and only one per pot or cell if using cell paks. I don't use peat pots because they dry out to quickly. Once they are in their pots or cells, they go under the lights, very close to the lights, but not touching. This prevents the plants from becomming leggy. If you have leggy plants, most can be pinched back after they have several sets of leaves on them. Just pinch out the tops and this will make your plants bushier as they grow.

When you first move your seedlings outdoors, they must be hardened off. To do this, they are put in a shady spot for about an hour or so....then brought back in. The next day leave them a little longer. Then if they are sun plants, move them into the early or late sun for a short time during the day...and back into the shade. To get your plants fully hardened off it takes a week or two. If you just place them in the hot sun they will just keel over.

There are some plants that won't take being planted deeper and there are some that don't respond well to pinching...but for the most part they should be fine. Expect to lose a few...this is normal even for experienced gardeners.

Sierra

Squirrel-girl Just went and check on cellar.it's an old time one good for have wood-burner. Been pumping water for a week. Still small amount on cement fllor. But when it drys up with mop with bleach. But all the creeks and rivers was running full and over. Got Honey Creek in back of my 2 acres.So far hasn't flooded. Even though been cold this year. Had freezing rain first storm. That insulated the ground. Farmer tiles been running all winter long-that helped. Then slow warm up. Most of the snow has melted. But gravel roads so MUDDY. Buses haven't run on them. If you don't have a way for children to get to school-out of luck. And didn't go on them alot this winter 3 ice storms + about 60 inches of snow.

Oh, so depressing.....
{{gwi:648537}}
Guess what I did in my garden this week???? Nothing!! However, I am starting seeds and dahlias. For the seeds, I am using over-head flourescents, which I have used for years, and last year I got a heat mat. I'll be looking for more of these, as they are great. I am actually wondering if I can engineer floor-heating for tables.
With regards to the peat pots - last year I found Coir pots. This is recycled coconut fibre, and makes great 'next step' pots. I found them at my local Home Hardware, which might be like your Ace Hardware stores?? Not big box, but very focused on local communities. If you ask, they might try to get them in for you. Most veg like to have their stems buried, so you can cure part of the 'leggy' problem. I use 'No Damp', so that the plants don't shrivel and die..

There, I've gone on and on enough - enjoy your Springs, I will try to patient for mine!!

We are pushing the limits of good sense here in north Texas planting out our tomato transplants last Sunday. (Surely these plants will be 'blessed' because we put them in on Sunday????) They certainly enjoyed the multi-inch rain on Tuesday and the mild temps since.

One of our first projects was to re-do the small water feature near the back porch. The old one developed a leak and had to be replaced. The new container is in and the fountain is splashing merrily. It needs the rocks fussed with and fresh mulch, but it sounds and looks good.

We've scraped up the old mulch path in the white garden....ummmmmmm good mulch. And replaced with fresh pine bark nuggets. The swing in that garden got stripped and repainted as well. Today I put in a few white petunias and the area looks so good.

We sprayed our home-made bunny-be-gone on some potential munchies....now the new growth on the daylilies will last longer than a day.

Every time I go outside I want to take photos of the red tulips in the front yard. I've already taken photos, but the flowers are so bright and fresh, I want to take more. LOL

See the tulips on my blog, linked below.

Happy spring everyone!

Here is a link that might be useful: Creative Soul

Ran out and clippe some flowers down. Not raking all the leafs off still cold. But see things greening under. But so wish it be nice and sunny. Going to put out more Blue-bird houses.

I haven't done anything...but tell my DH what to do in the yard/garden...so....does that count? LOL. I am fighting an allergy/sinus problem that is causing some killer dizziness and have been on a course of steroids to try to clear it up but it isn't helping much. I am so dizzy that when I am outside walking around the neighbors think I am drunk and I assure you...I haven't had a drop! So...DH has pruned the roses and other shrubs, murdered the crepe myrtles against my pleading for him not too (he knows everything...just ask him), dug up some volunteer fig trees from under our son's fig tree/bush for setting out here, and is about to work on the tiller to get it running so he can prepare the garden spot left when his mom died last year and we sold her mobile home...perfect spot 14 x 65 ft...for short rows. Can't wait. Daffodils are up, dianthus bloomed all winter and the tulips are about to bloom soon...along with the azaleas! Welcome everyone who is new to this forum...I guess I can be considered an infrequent flier! LOL.

Nanahanna

I weeded today for four hours. I've already put in 4 eight hour sessions this spring as I have a lot of weeds. :) I'm trying to get my beds all cleared so that I can bring in a big load of mulch and hopefully suppress any new ones from germinating.

I am having a terrible time with clover, creeping buttercup and plaintain!

On the positive side, I've seen tons of columbine babies while I'm weeding, my native creeping bleeding heart is spreading beautifully, and my camellia is filled with buds. I love being out there and seeing the garden come alive in the spring...

Planted 3 pink roses. Hauled stones, compost and mulch. Built up end of pink rose bed, planted rooted cuttings of Bath's pinks.
Transplanted 3 purple daylilies and a dozen white snapdragons. Replanted the liatris I forgot was there. Pulled weeds.
Planted viola seedlings in one quadrant of herb garden. Pulled weeds.
Moved some daffodils "in the green" to make sure of their location. Spaded up dandelions in bulb beds -- long roots.
Watered transplants by hand.
Planted angel wing begonias in urns; took cuttings before planting.
Potted up rosemary cuttings that rooted in a vase.
Checked seedlings to see if needing bumping up to next size pots. Noted emerging seedlings. Watered daily.
Scratched around perennials to look for emerging shoots. Cut back dead tops. Pulled weeds.
Marked spaces for transplanting shrubs later.
Watched butterflies. Pulled weeds.
Made photographs as more bulbs bloomed.
Hauled compost and mulch.
Stood beside hyacinth beds and just breathed.

{{gwi:648540}}

The weather has been great here in Georgia. This week I planted some salvia and enjoyed the fragrance from the hyacinths as well! I also planted a few encore azaleas. My hydrangeas are starting to show a tiny bit of green. The camelias are still gorgeous. The dogwoods are blooming. I can't remember what bulbs I planted and I'm enjoying seeing them emerge. The osmanthis is also blooming and the smell is heavenly.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:648533}}

I finally put my hands up with our clay soil and hired help.

The crew came in and removed all the poor looking plants, added tons of wonderful soil and put in a bunch of good year-round plants.

So now I've been adding the "fun" plants - the color, the annuals and all my favorites.

I've added:
- Delphiniums
- Bacopa
- Lanium (sp?)
- impatiens (we have a lot of shade)

I loved this, Jean....

Stood beside hyacinth beds and just breathed.

:) MeMo